AvitaCare Atlanta Earns Top Score on Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2024 Healthcare Equality Index

Community-focused medical center one of only 384 U.S. healthcare facilities to receive "LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader" honor; only facility in Atlanta to achieve Leader status

ATLANTA , May 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Human Rights Campaign Foundation has awarded AvitaCare Atlanta 100% on its 2024 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), securing it a coveted designation as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader.

Now in its 16^th year, the HEI is a national benchmarking tool that evaluates healthcare facilities' policies and practices regarding the equity and inclusion of LGBTQ+ patients, visitors, and employees. HEI survey participants are scored across the following criteria areas:

• Foundational elements of non-discrimination policy implementation and training
• Patient services and support
• Employee benefits and policies
• Patient and community engagement
• Responsible citizenship

An Avita Care Solutions company, AvitaCare Atlanta's medical center and pharmacy partners with covered entity MedCura Health to offer compassionate, comprehensive, and inclusive primary and specialized care services to the greater Atlanta community, including gender-affirming care, sexual wellness care, diabetes management, behavioral health, comprehensive in-person and telehealth-based HIV prevention and treatment programs, and more. Its award-winning staff of more than 70 team members is committed to breaking down health equity barriers for LGBTQ+ patients by providing them with culturally competent care in a welcoming and safe environment.  

While this year's HEI survey engaged over 1,065 U.S. healthcare facilities, only 36% received top marks. AvitaCare Atlanta's dedication to providing LGBTQ+-affirming care earned it the designation of LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader, reserved for facilities that score 100% on the index.

Meeting a crucial need for LGBTQ+ health equity in the Atlanta community

"There has never been a more critical time in the fight for LGBTQ+ healthcare equality," Avita Care Solutions CEO Michael Yount said. "To date in 2024 alone, over 500 bills targeting LGBTQ+ rights advanced through the U.S. legislature, with more than 100 of them specifically restricting the healthcare rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Thank you to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for recognizing the important work AvitaCare Atlanta and other organizations do by offering compassionate and inclusive care to patients no matter how they identify or whom they love."

AvitaCare Atlanta Medical Director Dr. Quintin Robinson, AAHIVS, seconded the need to drive change in the healthcare sector by reducing stigma and bias toward America's LGBTQ+ communities and commended his team for continually breaking down these patient barriers. "Reports show that one in five LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. put their healthcare needs on hold to avoid the disrespect and discrimination they've faced from some providers," he said. "The AvitaCare Atlanta team is specifically trained to treat patients holistically, respectfully, and without judgment. That means every patient. It's our honor to offer LGBTQ+-affirming care to members of the Atlanta community."

While much work to be done, report shows marked progress in LGBTQ+ healthcare equality

"As anti-LGBTQ+ extremists look to strip away healthcare access at every turn, LGBTQ+ people and their loved ones are looking for healthcare providers to offer and champion fully inclusive services. The Healthcare Equality Index is helping people find facilities where welcoming policies and practices are the standard," said Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign. "We know that LGBTQ+ people?especially our trans family?continue to face discrimination in the doctor's office. No one should have to put their health on the backburner for fear of mistreatment in a healthcare facility or by their doctor." 

Notable progress toward LGBTQ+ healthcare equality reflected in the 2024 HEI includes:

• Targeted health disparities reduction plans: Encouragingly, 71% of responding healthcare facilities report having an official plan for reducing health disparities that specifically includes LGBTQ+ patients in addition to race, ethnicity, and linguistic concerns.
• EHR SOGI data: Major increases were seen in the number of healthcare facilities collecting sexual orientation and gender identity-related data in their electronic health records systems (EHRs). Seven of the eight relevant data points had double-digit increases.
• Pronouns in electronic health records: The ability of responding healthcare facilities to collect and display a patient's pronouns rose from 44% to 74%. This is an important tool to help prevent misgendering a patient.
• Comprehensive benefits for domestic partners: 41% of responding healthcare facilities reported providing medical and comprehensive health benefits to domestic partners of benefits-eligible employees, up from 34% in 2022. This is the first increase in this measure since the 2015 Obergefell decision on same-sex marriage.

ABOUT AVITACARE ATLANTA

Trusted in the community for over two decades, AvitaCare Atlanta, an Avita Care Solutions company, partners with MedCura Health to offer compassionate, comprehensive, and inclusive primary and specialized care services to the greater Atlanta community, including gender-affirming care, sexual wellness care, diabetes management, behavioral health, comprehensive in-person and telehealth-based HIV prevention and treatment programs, and more. A full-service lab and pharmacy are conveniently located within the clinic, and patients receive discreet prescription delivery options, financial assistance support, and medication counseling. To learn more, visit avitacareatlanta.com.

SOURCE AvitaCare Atlanta